Wednesday, May 28, 2008

New baby! Southern pudu born

Few people have heard of this diminutive deer species hailing from South America, but once you've seen these adorable deer, you won't forget them! Southern pudu inhabit dense, temperate forests containing thick bamboo understories from sea level to 5,500 feet (1,676 m). Adult pudu weigh around 14-30 pounds and stand 14-18 inches high. The babies weigh only about 1-1.5 pounds at birth and about 8 inches tall!

This weekend we were delighted with the birth of this endangered species here at the zoo. The pudus are exhibited adjacent to our brand new Chilean flamingo exhibit, a bird species that share their habitat in the wild.

For more information about this species, which is disappearing in the wild due to illegal logging, habitat loss and hunting, visit our Southern Pudu Fact Sheet.

View a short video of these little deer below (note this video does not have sound):